ROXBURY ALLSTON KENMORE SQUARE BROOKLINE VILLAGE SOUTH END BRIGHTON COOLIDGE CORNER DORCHESTER MATTAPAN JAMAICA PLAIN Introduction Dear Gators, Pine Manor College is dedicated to providing students with the necessary information and tools to success- fully reside in off-campus accommodations. In supporting our students in the off-campus environment, the Office of Residence Life has developed an Off-Campus Living Guide. This Off-Campus Living Guide outlines the steps and resources to help you have a good off campus living experience. Utilize this guide to answer your off-campus housing questions, learn about the City of Boston resources, and understand your rights and responsibilities as an off-campus resident. We recognize there are some strategies you can use to be successful in your experience living off campus, so we have provided some tangible checklists and forms to use as you create your own unique off campus living experience. You will find that living off-campus is a very different kind of experience from living in a college residence hall. Unlike the residence halls, the neighborhoods surrounding Boston are full of people whose lifestyles, schedules, and living arrangements may vary greatly from yours. We want students to be successful and thrive in their off-campus living situation. We hope that this guide will serve as a resource for you and helps you to build the skills and knowledge to be a good renter, roommate, neighbor, and community member. Office of Residence Life Disclaimer: This guide is intended for general informational purposes only. Pine Manor College does not recommend or endorse any landlords, tenants, rental facilities or companies in any way. Pine Manor College assumes no responsibility for information obtained from this guide or any incidents that may arise from the use of information posted in this guide. Contact with persons and companies listed herein must be conducted independently and at your own risk. 2 Table of Contents Where Do I Live………………………………………….. 4 Neighborhoods Boston Neighborhood Reference Map Apartment Rental Costs Transportation & Getting Around Boston The Apartment Search…………………………………… 10 Finding the Right Apartment For You What Kind Of Property Should You Rent What Rental Period Best Meets Your Needs Documents Needs To Rent Rental Scams Creating A Budget Online Housing Resources Leases: Renting Essentials………………………………. 19 What is a Lease Tenant Rights & Responsibilities Landlord Rights & Responsibilities Resources for Tenant/Landlord Issues Health, Safety, and Security……………………………. 25 Apartment Safety Codes Rental Inspections Apartment Safety Personal Safety Rental Insurance Roommates………………………………………...…….. 30 Find A Roommate Online Roommate Finder Resources Setting The Ground Rules Communicating With Your Roommate Moving Into Your New Home………………………….. 36 Setting Up Utilities Furnishing Your Space Cooking and Eating Off-Campus Being A Good Neighbor Forms…….………………………………………...…….. 40 3 Where Do I Live? In this Section: Neighborhoods Boston Neighborhood Reference Map Apartment Rental Costs Transportation & Getting Around Boston 4 Neighborhoods Boston and the surrounding areas offer a wide variety of communities in which to live, each with their own personality and character. It is important to consider proximity to campus, your rental budget, access to public transportation and type of housing (large building or multi-family home), as this will help determine your preferred neighborhood. You can find out more information about Boston neighborhoods at www.boston.gov/neighborhoods Allston/Brighton Although Allston and Brighton are two distinct communities with their own zip codes and unique characters, this area is often referred to as simply “Allston/ Brighton.” Allston/Brighton offers easy access to dozens of retail establishments and restaurants, and is only 20 minutes via the Green Line to downtown Boston. Although BU and Boston College students tend to dominate Allston/Brighton, this residential area is also home to families with close ties to the neighborhoods. Cleveland Circle sits at the end of the Green “C” Line near Chestnut Hill and is a haven for Boston College undergraduates and young alumni. Although this area is indistin- guishable from its Brookline neighbor, it is actually a small community within Brighton and caters to the needs of students on a budget. Free on-street parking is available but limited. A residential sticker is required in some areas. Back Bay The Back Bay is known for its stately brownstones, Parisian-style boulevards, trendy boutiques, fine dining, and upscale hotels. Back Bay stretches from downtown Boston to the Kenmore/Fenway area and includes Copley Square, parts of the South End, the Boston Common, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall – a tree-lined park area nestled between elegant brownstones. Some of Boston’s most famous architectural landmarks – Trinity Church, the Boston Public Library, the Hancock Tower, and the Prudential Center– are situated in the heart of Back Bay. Newbury Street, which boasts some of Boston’s best shopping, is also located in this area. Back Bay is among Boston’s most exclusive districts and is at its best during the holiday season. While the Back Bay is home to the Berklee College of Music as well as MIT fraternities and sororities, rents can be out of reach for most budget-conscious students. Parking is also expensive and difficult to find. Brookline This sprawling residential community tends to attract undergraduates in search of a quieter community as well as graduate students, faculty, and staff. Coolidge Corner sits at the intersection of Harvard Avenue and Beacon Street and is the heart of the Brookline Community. Coolidge Corner features a mix of take-out eateries, fine dining, bookstores, boutiques, and real estate agencies. This area is home to college students, young families, working professionals, and retirees. Coolidge Corner and the surrounding area offers the convenience of urban living with the feel of a suburban community. Brookline Village, a small community approximately one mile south of Coolidge Corner, borders Jamaica Plain and is accessible via the bus and the Green “D” Line. Brookline Village is especially popular with graduate students and young working profession- als. Overnight parking is prohibited in Brookline. When considering rental properties, check to ensure that parking is included. If not, you may need to arrange for off-site parking at a cost of roughly $75-$175 per month. 5 Cambridge Cambridge sits north of Boston University and is popular with graduate students, faculty, and staff. Cambridge borders Somerville and Belmont to the north and Watertown to the west, and is home to four communities: Harvard Square, North Cambridge/Fresh Pond, East Cambridge, and Cambridgeport. Rents vary greatly from area to area and are generally lower the further distance from Harvard Square. The North Cambridge/Fresh Pond area, for example, offers more affordable apartments. Housing in the Harvard Square area is much in demand, especially by MIT and Harvard University students, so the competition for affordable rental units can be intense. Units in older two-and three-family homes within a short walk of Harvard Square are especially desirable, but these bargains can be difficult to find. Parking in the Harvard Square area is extraordinarily difficult to locate so taking public transportation is your best option. Dorchester Dorchester, Boston’s largest residential community, is home to the University of Massachusetts/Boston and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Dorchester’s affordable housing continues to attract an ethnically diverse population with a strong pride in the area. Dorchester is a hodgepodge of smaller neighborhoods each with its own character and sense of community. These communi- ties include: Uphams Corner, Columbia Point (home to the JFK Museum and UMASS/ Boston), Savin Hill, Fields Corner, Four Corners, Codman Square, Ashmont, and Neponset. Prices for rental units tend to be somewhat lower in Dorchester than in other areas of the city. The housing stock in this area ranges from older Victorian homes to three-family homes (better known as “triple-deckers”) and the massive Har- bor Point apartment complex. Transportation along the Red Line is reliable and travel- ing time depends upon the location and time of day. Fenway/Kenmore Although often grouped together, Fenway and Kenmore are actually two distinct neighborhoods offering different amenities. Kenmore Square sits at the intersection of three major arteries – Commonwealth Avenue, Beacon Street, and Brookline Avenue. Kenmore is a hub for public transportation and includes bus and MBTA “T” stations with easy access to Logan Airport and downtown Boston The Fenway area is also home to the “Colleges of the Fenway” (Simmons, Wentworth Institute of Technology, MassArt, Emmanuel, and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy). Bordered by Northeastern University on the south, Massachusetts Avenue on the east, and the Massachusetts Turnpike to the north, this dense neighborhood is popular with students and young working professionals. The Longwood Medical Area, a cluster of several world-class hospitals to the east of the Fenway, stretches along Brookline and Longwood Avenue, and includes Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Harvard Medical School, and Children’s Hospital. Although recently constructed units are available, much of the housing stock in both neighborhoods dates back several decades